Submitted By
Plan Commission through Emily A. Egan, Development Services Director
Reviewed By
A.M. Zayyad, Deputy Village Manager
Agenda Item Title
Title
Concur with the Plan Commission and Adopt an Ordinance Amending Article 8 ("Uses"), Section 8.4 ("Principal Use Standards") and Table 8.1 ("Use Matrix") of the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance to Establish a Community Service Center as a Special Use in the NC-Neighborhood Commercial Zoning District
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Overview
Overview
The Petitioner seeks a text amendment to the Zoning Ordinance to add a land use category for a Community Service Center that allows the applicant to provide overnight stays for the unhoused, provide meals, and offer social services in the NC-Neighborhood Commercial Zoning District. This proposed use would require a special use permit. This agenda item is a companion to the special use application agenda item ORD 24-162.
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Recommendation
Recommendation
Adopt the Ordinance.
Background
The applicant approached the Village with a need to establish a permanent site that could provide overnight accommodations for the unhoused population in a manner similar to the former "P.A.D.S." model abandoned during the COVID-19 epidemic. Since the Zoning Ordinance did not provide for the intended use, a zoning ordinance text amendment was prepared, supported by the Plan Commission, and adopted by the Village Board at their August 27, 2024 meeting. The previous text amendment language permitted the Community Service Center use only within the I-Institutional zoning district where the majority of uses are government agencies or private and public school-affiliated institutions.
Currently, the second floor of the former St. Catherine / St. Lucy rectory located at 38 North Austin Boulevard is still being used as a temporary emergency shelter for the unhoused population. However, financing for needed repairs at that location was not attainable. Therefore, a new location at 112 South Humphrey Avenue was ide...
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